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Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting
Scotland's Fair Isle is celebrated the world over for its distinctive, stranded-color knitting, and Alice Starmore is famous for her expertise in designing and instructing knitters in this appealing regional tradition. This volume is profusely illustrated with color photographs, plus drawings and charts that illustrate the art's history, patterns, and techniques.
Paperback, 208 pages
Published
August 21st 2009
by Dover Publications
(first published October 1st 1988)
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This is a reprint of the 1988 edition (with a very small number of modifications), so the models are very alarming - the bouffant mullet on p. 151 in particular. The graph patterns in the pattern library are good, as are the color drawings. Some of the sweater color combinations are heinous. Knitters taking inspiration from nature need to be reminded that just because 12 colors appear together in a field of flowers or a sunset doesn't mean they will look attractive in a sweater. Anyone attemptin...more
My favorite Fair Isle knitting book. It was first published in 1988, and republished in 2009. It is a wonderful book that goes into a brief history on Fair Isle, which includes how the early knitter was inspired. For instance, the heads of milk-churns plungers were translated into knitting patterns and incorporated into sweaters. It also includes chapters on Color and Technique. It includes patterns, and a chapter on designing your own pattern. My favorite part of the book is the Pattern Library...more
I borrowed this book from the library originally but quickly realized I had to own it for the vast wealth of knowledge it contained. My source of fair isle inspiration. The charts are clear and concise. The historical background fascinating. I find myself drawn to it again and again. I am sure I will have to buy a new copy one day because I will eventually wear this one out from use.
This book is regarded as the definitive volume on Fair Isle knitting. Starmore begins with a history of the art, then discusses the motifs, colours and techniques. The book contains patterns and motifs for designing your own garment. This book is definitely not for beginners.
It is out of print. Some copies are selling for $200 or more.
It is out of print. Some copies are selling for $200 or more.
Nice historical and technical information, but suffers from the plague of having been published in the 80's. I'd like to see the updated Dover edition, as in some cases it may be the photographs and the models rather than the sweaters that are so awful.
What I particularly like about this, in addition to the history of Fair Isle knitting and the very, very thorough discussion of techniques, is the section 'Design your own gansey', which gives practical and detailed directions for designing a traditional Fair Isle sweater to your own choice of patterns, using your own gauge (tension) for the yarns you've chosen. I had a lot of Fair Isle books out of the library while revising, ripping, and rethinking my sweater, and this is the one I bought, in...more
I really enjoyed this book for the history of Fair Isle as well as the knitting traditions. There is great info on how to design the various patterns and how to incorporate them onto the sweater. One warning: all the knits are styled very, very 80's (mullets! extreme positive ease!)
The colors! The patterns! The precision! She's a master -- to admire from afar. I'm a plain garter on big needles kind of knitter, so these are not my kind of projects. But terrific knit-porn!
Excellent resource for the history of Fair Isle knitting as well as many patterns and designs. I borrowed this book from the local library and now have it on a "wish list" to own it someday.
OMg, I want to buy this book! Got it from the library, and it's a fabulous resource for anyone who enjoys stranded knitting.
Now that I've read this book, I understand why people rave about it. It is a fantastic summary of Fair Isle knitting.
This is a great collection of patterns. If/when I get around to doing a Fair Isle item, I will want to refer back to this, a classic resource.
I am interested in seeing the new edition of this book.
A classic!
An excellent combination of Fair Isle history, a stitch dictionary, technique info, and patterns. The patterns aren't particularly the highlight of the book for me (boxy sweaters and such), but there's plenty of more modern Fair Isle-type patterns online. The stitch dictionary is, I think, what makes it one of the most treasured Fair Isle books around. There's something about knitting with motifs developed two hundred years ago that just feels good.
the queen of Scottish knitting - a beautiful and informative book that inspires a knitter to fair isle greatness! It's too bad that this book is now out of print.
Jul 16, 2008
Ann Johnson Davis
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
knitting-books
Excellent. Fabulous. Marvelous. Glad I bought mine when it was first published. Now I need to find that dust jacket.....
Fantastic resource for stranded knitters. Also, a really interesting history of a really interesting part of the world.
Amazing, but Starmore is always amazing.
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Alice Starmore (née Matheson) was raised in a traditional, Gaelic-speaking Scottish fishing village. She began knitting as a child, studying the folk knitting traditions of her native Scotland. Starmore later expanded her textile studies, traveling in Scandinavia in the late 1970s on a Winston Churchill Fellowship.
Broadly recognized as one of the world's authorities on Fair Isle and other folk kn...more
More about Alice Starmore...
Broadly recognized as one of the world's authorities on Fair Isle and other folk kn...more
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Mar 31, 2010 11:53am